Flynn Lives Organization

This is the in-universe article for the Flynn Lives Organization. For the TRON: Legacy viral marketing campaign, see Flynn Lives.

The Flynn Lives Organization (aka FLO) are a collective group of people that believe that ENCOM video game designer Kevin Flynn is still alive, despite his mysterious disappearance in 1989. While ENCOM quietly disapproves of the organization, Flynn's son Sam Flynn supports the group and helps them from time to time with getting the "Flynn Lives" message out.

The foundations of the Flynn Lives Organization began in 1989 with the unexpected disappearance of Kevin Flynn. With ENCOM's CEO having completely vanished, the company underwent various changes, including the restructuring of its personnel. The redundancies included Roy Kleinberg, who left the company embittered by the changes.

Kleinberg resolved to uncover the whereabouts of Kevin Flynn and with the clandestine assistance of Alan Bradley, began to probe into the possibility of ENCOM's involvement, as well as pursue his lengthy search. As a result of these efforts Flynn Lives was born.

The initial appearance of Flynn Lives was as a Usernet group around 1992. The group grew to the point where they held a meet-up in Dayton, Ohio, and resolved to find Kevin Flynn.

In 1998, a letter from Kevin Flynn to a founding member of the group gained media attention, but was then debunked. That founding member (now ex-member) later checked into a mental hospital for observation.

In 2001, FLO offered a $5,000 award to anybody who could prove Kevin Flynn was alive. By December 31st, nobody had satisfied FLO's jury and the money was spent on a party.

Between 2002 to 2005, interest in the organization dropped greatly. During this period, very little new news about sightings were reported. This changed in 2007, when the "Albino Cow" Flynn sighting in southern New Jersey energized a new generation of activists.

By 2008, Flynn Lives had dwindled to its lowest ebb and looked set to fail until the unexpected arrival of Sam Flynn, Kevin's orphaned son. Becoming disgruntled over ENCOM's abandonment of Kevin's memory, Sam took up the lone crusade of pulling an annual prank on them, timed to coincide with the anniversary of his father's disappearance. These very public appearances caused significant embarrassment to ENCOM, but also served to generate renewed interest in the Flynn Lives movement.

In 2010, after Sam's daring infiltration of ENCOM and open distribution of ENCOM's latest version of their operating system, ENCOM engaged the US Justice Department in tracking down Flynn Lives. Roy Kleinberg immediately set about destroying years worth of accumulated evidence, but was interrupted by Alan Bradley. Bradley assured Kleinberg that with Sam Flynn finally stepping up to fill the role vacated by his father, they no longer needed to be concerned about ENCOM. Flynn had been found, albeit in a younger incarnation, and this change in circumstances meant that Kleinberg's secret operation was no longer needed. Together, he and Bradley closed the door on Flynn Lives.